The doors to the third black house slammed shut as Celania's father stormed down the hall, having just got home from work he was raging with anger. His daughter was doing what he has explicity told her not to "CELENIA!" he roared slamming the door open he saw her by the dresser, grabbing her arm he threw her against the wall " I told you not to hang around with this gaunt girls ever again! they are bastards!"

"Dad calm down" she yelled her voice cracking as her back hit the wall "There our family what the hell is going on!?"

Her father grabbed her hand tightly raising his "You always disobey me and I let you get away with it!" he roared with rage he balled his hand into a fist and went to hit her.

Dodging Celenia looked at the hole he left in the wall "Dad stop" she said backing towards the open door, when he turned his face red with anger she tried to spring down the stairs. Her mother caught her and said "Listen to your father Celenia " her face was drawn and cold. She did once hold beauty.

Celenia's heart hammered in her chest, she knew this had nothing to do with the fact she loved her cousins. Her father just was angry and needed to put a name to the rage, she broke from her mothers hold and slid down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her wand out she looked around and cursed all the doors were locked, "Get back up here you disobediant child"

her father thundered down the stairs and into the kitchen "What do you plan to do with that wand? Curse me? your not so powerful and I doubt your bastard friends could teach you anything you ungrateful little girl!"

He lunged at her and through her haze of fear she cast the leg locking jinx. He fell to the floor his wand in hand with a loud thud "When i get my hands on you!" he roared malice in his tone.

Using her strong legs she jumped over him but not fast enough, the second her feet hit the ground he grabbed her ankle yanking her to the floor as he stood up having undone the curse. Her head hit the floor hard blood coming from a broken nose, a black eye rising from the impact.

Just as a scream was about to rip from her throat a crack resounded in the room. Stansing next to her father was the minister of magic. Willow noble.

"I came here" the minister said "because I detected under age magic, now i can see why" pulling back her fist she punched the man square in the throat.

As her father fell to the side the Minister knelt next to Celenia "your safe now" she said to the girl Pulling her into her arms as Aurors appeared arresting her parents "Now sleep" the minister cast a spell on her then apparated from the house.

The Minister had placed Celenia in Hedwig's house all bandaged up. As she was to leave she saw one of the professors from hogwarts enter the room.

"Minister" Dellen said with a smile "What brings you here?" Willow gestured to the girl in the bed "I had to apprehend that girl's parents they harmed her..it turns out there is a history of abuse. I had no where else to bring her"

Dellen looked over at the girl and her heart broke "I will stay with her...she is safe with me" the minister nodded and left.

Dellen crossed the room and sat at the edge of the bed looking at the sleeping figure, taking out her notebook she folded her feet under her and began to scribble down her thoats.

Her sleep induced state was anything but peaceful as the blackness became a screen replaying every scarring memory. She was taken back to the day when she first met her cousins, that was the first day her parents had ever harmed her. Celania had went to sleep that night with a matching bruise on either side of her face and a warning to cut all ties with the Gaunt twins. But she was a rebellious kid and she had continued to meet them, becoming closer every day. Some days she was caught and punished, and each would be worse than the last . Yet never once did they harm her beyond something they could fix. Not that it mattered when they couldn't fix the emotional damage done.

Flashes of her most recent memory played and she shut her eyes. The pain was fresh as he carved into her skin and spit words at her hatefully. She covered her ears and shook her head, a useless protection against the memory. "I'll teach you...to obey me."

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly expecting a blow that never came. She blinked the reminents of sleep from her eyes as she begin to register those last few moments in her house. Someone had come, they had taken her away. She wasn't sure who was the blood from her fall had blurred her sight. But one thing she was sure of was the feeling that she would never have to deal with her parents again. She wrapped her arms around herself and took a few deep breaths. She was okay now.

There was the distinct sound of a notebook being placed down which was most likely being written in before that she missed having been caught up in her waking thoughts. Celania stiffened and turned to the person who had been there for who knew how long. "Who are you and where am I," she asked the woman warily.

"I am surprised you do not recognize me Celenia" she said "I am Dellen Lestrange...your defense against the dark arts professor" she laid a hand on her leg "do you feel alright? do you remember what happened?"

"Professor Lestrange..." she said a bit confused, trying to place her name with her face. There was a burst of recognition as she remembered her lessons. But soon after, she became dizzy and she placed a hand on her head to steady herself. "I'm fine, just a bit dazed." She nodded her head slightly. And refused to look her professor in the eye. "At least that memory's intact," she said bitterly.

Celania sagged back against the bed in relief. Her suspicions were confirmed, her parents were gone for good. But where did that leave her? A small smile graced her lips. Hell, she didn't care. She was finally free from the abuse and she would take anything over going through that again. She sighed blissfully and closed her eyes, savouring what it felt like to know she wasn't going back. After a few moments of silence she spoke again. "I'm going to the orphanage then?"

"Not if you don't want too" she said with a small smile "i don't know how to say this so i will try to just blurt it out" she looked down for a moment collecting her thoughts then back at the young girl "I could adopt you if you'd like to come live with me"

She stared at her professor wondering if that was what she wanted. She hardly knew anything about her professor. Sure she had technically lived with her and every other adult at Hogwarts for the past three years, but she hardly knew them. "I don't know what I want to do. No, its more like...I don't care." That seemed pretty accurate. It did not matter to her whether she stayed in the orphanage or found a new home.

"I would like that," she smiled. She wouldn't have to make an immediate decision and she had time to get to know the person she would most likely be living with. A thought struck her, "Don't tell my family." She didn't want any of them to know what had happened, what had been happening. She couldn't say why she didn't want them to know, it was just something she wanted kept quiet.

Dellen left the muggle market place with a bouquet of flowers and a new journal in hand. Her heals clacked loudly on the stones as she made her way to a darkened alley way. Apparating to the orphanage she walked in the large doors and to the front desk "I'm here to see Celenia Black" the vampire said crisply. The witch nodded and left to fetch Celenia.

The receptionist that Celania had acquainted herself with the day after her arrival came to tell her that Professor Lestrange had come to see her. She followed her back to where she waited. Celania offered the woman a small smile, "I wasn't expecting to see you here again so soon." Contrary to what her professor had said, she figured she would be busy with other things.

Dellen looked up from the notes she was reading over the woman's counter when she hear Celenia's voice. "Now what kind of person would I be to leave an adoloscent girl stuck here with nothing but moth balls to intrigue her" she grinned handing the flowers and leather bound journal too her "these are for you"

"The type of person who knows that this girl can entertain herself quite well with a wand and a few other people," she grinned mischieviously. Celania blinked surprised and took the gifts tentativily. She hesitated slightly as she thanked her. She smelt the flowers and another smile split her face as she took in the pleasnt scent. She looked up to her curiously. She was to the hardened version of her professor in class and other wise. It was slightly odd to be receiving gifts from her. "Thank you," she said once again. She held them close to her as she beckoned for her to follow her to one of the sitting rooms. She sat on one of the sofas and placed the journal beside her, keeping the flowers in her lap. Celania sat there awkwardly, wondering what to say.

She nodded, "Everyone has been...nice."She said for lack of a better word. And they hadn't looked at her with pity or anything of the sort, to her face at least. Perhaps some of the kids here had been in her same position before and the caretakers were just used to it. "And I'm eating well enough." She blatantly ignored the inquiry after her sleep. Sleep had escaped her and she hoped it didn't show. "I hate being cooped up in here though," a flash of annoyance appearing on her face. "I can't go any further than the playground that I have no interest in going to."

"You mean I can escape for a couple of hours?" She shot out of her seat in an instance. "I'll be down in a minute." She picked up the things given to her and left upstairs to the room she occupied. A few of her things had been dropped off in suitcases and they littered the floor. She looked for something to hold the flowers and found a vase sitting on her nightstand. Murmuring augamenti, she placed the flowers inside and the journal beside them on the stand, combed her fingers through her hair and bounded back down the stairs. She jumped the last few steps and entered the room again slightly flushed. Celania wasn't wasting any time leaving.

Dellen was waiting her cloak fastened she offered her arm to the girl. When she took hold she apparated them to a resturant in London. "Have you spent much time in muggle london?" she said leading the way down the busy streets "i have a place in mind"

They apparated and though she had been along for these rides before, it still left her slightly woozy. "Only a fe times," she said. As the walked the streets, she was jostled a few times and she narrowed her eyes at the next person to bump into her. "What kind of place?" She hoped it wasn't too far, as she wanted to get off the streets.

"I am rather fond of Japanese food" she admitted with a small laugh. She patted the girl's hand as it rested on her elbow so naturally. Her heart beat rather fiercely. She dearly wanted this girl to be her daughter, never before had someone called to her like this.

Leading her down a winding path they entered a cherry blossom garden with a small creek, Passing through the trees a small pagoda styled building came into view "Shall we?" she said looking at the 13 year old at her side.

Celania laughed at the coincidence. "Really? So am I." That was a step in the right direction she supposed. At least she knew they would never have to argue over what to eat. Celania stifled another laugh at the thought of a heated argument over food. She could imagine the both of them stubborn, unwilling to give in to the other until amused expressions grew on their faces at the sheer ridiculousness of their argument. She glanced up at her sideways; it wouldn't be bad having her for a mother.

She blinked in slight wonder as they came to the restaurant. She had never been to one that looked so authentic. If it wasn't for the busy sounds common to London, she would have thought they had apparated to Japan rather than the aforementioned place.

"I am glad to hear that, Master Watanashi is a skilled sushi chef and he shall delight the senses i can promise you that" she grinned as she walked under the porch she kicked off her heels "Remove your shoes darling or he will be very cross with you...he is a sweet man until you do wrongly to his customs" opening the sliding panel door she stepped in and noticed with releif it was empty "good we may speak in private then" she said as she walked over to a table, kneeling on a pillow she gestured for the girl to sit and began to serve tea.